How are they getting there? The government, of course. We are putting them there. In the name of “safety,” regulation, for decades companies have used toxic flame retardants in many of our household products like carpet, electronics, and mattresses. Our skin takes in what we put on it as if it is eating it. A good rule of thumb is: if you wouldn’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin. We also breathe in the molecules as they are sloughed off into the air.

Many of those cute pajamas out there these days are treated with flame retardants. Just imagine the percentage of time a child spends in their pj’s absorbing away. Look on the tag before you buy them. They will either say they are flame retardant or to “wear snug fitting – not flame resistant.” The flame retardant ones are usually polyester and waxy feeling, while the non-flame resistant ones are just plain ol’ cotton. And honestly, I don’t think they need to be too snug. I guess your take on this should depend on how often your children are hanging around open flames or smokers. Stop, drop, and roll, baby. Do people even teach this anymore? Knowledge is power.

Always opt for natural fibers. When you have to be exposed to something new like carpet or a car interior, air out the house or the car for weeks. Raise your consciousness. Be kind. Don’t buy flame retardant pajamas for babies and kids. Oh, they’re also finding flame retardants in peanut butter.

I love posting guest articles on my website, and this one is a treasure. Thanks to Mariana Ashley for submitting this piece on where to go to educate yourself about the only document in the brutal history of mankind that guarantees your freedom. Every American should have more than just a passing knowledge of this document for which hundreds of thousands have given their lives. If you would like to listen to my reading of Elizabeth Claire’s translation of the Constitution into simple English, click here.

5 Free Online Courses for a Deeper Look at the Constitution by Mariana Ashley

You may think you learned everything you really needed to know about the Constitution of the United States in high school or college. After all, the Constitution was written centuries ago, and it can be difficult to really feel the impacts of this document in our everyday lives. However, there is a huge difference between memorizing the Bill of Rights in high school and really doing the work of poring over the written Constitution as an adult. As soon as we do, we can see immediately how these laws affect everything about our lives. We also begin to see the huge importance of this single document and why it is imperative to understand, as U.S. citizens, what it means and what we believe about how it should be interpreted in the modern world.

If you feel you could use some brushing up on our founding document, look no further than your nearest laptop. Many different organizations, including some of the best academic institutions in the country, offer information and coursework about the Constitution online, completely free of charge.

Check out this roundup of some of the best free online courses for a deeper look at the Constitution:

This is a 10-week complete college course offered by Hillsdale College. Students can watch lectures by real faculty members, read assigned texts, submit to weekly Q&A sessions with faculty, take tests, and access study guides.

This is a free online course in Constitutional Foundations offered by the Montpelier Center for the Constitution. Students explore the written text of the constitution, its language, and what the Constitution says about Congress, the President, the Supreme Court, States, Ratification and Amendment, and People.

This course, offered as part of the MIT Open Courseware database, takes a look at how the Constitution affects law and society in the United States. It covers the role and decisions of the Supreme Court and covers the concepts of liberty, equality, and property.

Harvard Law School provides all web users with access to a wide variety of lectures, symposia, panels and conferences in the worm of Webcasts. Sit front row as some of the world’s most proficient minds delve into all areas of Constitutional Law.

5. North Carolina Wesleyan College U.S. Constitution

This U.S. Constitution course is offered by North Carolina Wesleyan College and provides an overview of the framing of the U.S. Constitution and how laws have been enacted as a result. Students can access online lectures and original class notes.

To all of those who have supported my campaign, who rode around with a Got Freedom? bumper sticker, or who voted for me or any Libertarian, I am deeply grateful. To Steve Wolf, for offering up Stunt Ranch for my campaign headquarters, thank you. To everyone who donated their time, talents, energy, or money, thank you. Your efforts would have made the founders of this country proud.

I was going for 10,000 votes, and the results were encouraging. I ended up with 10,822 votes or 4% – the highest percentage of votes of all Libertarian congressional candidates in Texas who ran against both a Republican and a Democrat.

We have an uphill battle before us to restore Liberty in America. The movement is growing.

I want to congratulate Roger Williams (R) on his win. He will be a freshman congressman this year. I hope he will steadfastly hold to the Constitution and the Bill Of Rights, and that he will not sell out to corruption as so many of our unscrupulous lawmakers do. As my congressperson, I hope that in two years I am proud of you.

I am going to donate what is left of my campaign funds to LOLA – the Ladies for Liberty Alliance, the Texas LP, and the Cato Institute. These are libertarian organizations that are making strides in research and outreach for Constitutional Liberty in America.

I am not sure at this point where I’ll take my momentum and passion, but I’ll be sure and let you know.

I finally found a favorite

10 golden stars to New Moon Pads. They are easy, comfy, and even cute. Here is how to use them: you just put the fleece side down which naturally grabs on to your undies, and you snap it underneath. There are no cloth holders or inserts to worry about. If you can wash them mid-cycle you should only need 6 day time ones and 3 night time ones. You can start with the pad a little forward and inch it back a little from time to time until you need a new one. You can also double up on heavy days.

For information on how to wash cloth pads, see my first post on the subject. Click here.

I feel a little sad for women who haven’t rediscovered cloth pads.They’re not only comfortable, they’re easy, healthy, cheap, and environmentally conservative.

Cloth menstrual pads are one of those things I’ve discovered, like home birth and home school, which make me so happy and almost no one else seems to know about, yet they were a part of everyone’s experience for most of history. You won’t be sorry if you order some New Moon Pads. My experience with cloth pads is that they will last for a decade or more. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to try them. If you know of other brands that rock, please let us all know!